


Wrong Time

by MadamAirlock



Category: Major Crimes (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, eventually ending with fluff, married flynns
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-25
Updated: 2020-05-25
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:21:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24366502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadamAirlock/pseuds/MadamAirlock
Summary: An interview with a victim goes wrong and Sharon's all alone.
Relationships: Andy Flynn/Sharon Raydor
Comments: 2
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

Sharon sighed softly as she entered the children’s hospital, absently fiddling with the ring on her finger. She could have sent Tao or Sykes to interview their victim, but she needed them at the crime scene more. She waved her badge at the receptionist to get the info on the victim, barely withholding another sigh. 

“It’s so sad,” the receptionist murmured. “How screwed up does someone have to be to shoot up a school?”

“I know,” Sharon replied, her head shaking slightly. 

“I hope you catch him.”

“We will.” Her voice was firm and she managed a reassuring smile. 

She turned and hurried through the bustling hospital to the fourth floor, easily spotting the victim’s room by the parents sobbing outside. She steeled herself as she approached them, hating this part of her job more than anything else. 

“Mr. and Mrs. Dawson? I’m Commander Sharon Raydor with the LAPD.” She extended her hand and received a brief, weak shake in response, before she slipped her hand into her skirt pocket. “If you don’t mind, I would like to speak to your daughter. If there’s anything she can tell me, it could be instrumental in finding the shooter.”

Mrs. Dawson nodded and wiped at her eyes. “I-of course... Of course.” She sniffled. 

“Why don’t you both find some coffee?” She suggested. 

The husband reluctantly agreed, his arm sliding around his wife as they glanced in at their daughter and then slowly walked away. Sharon took a deep breath and then walked into the room. 

She hated the site before her. A seven year old had no business being in a hospital, especially with a gunshot wound. Sharon’s heart ached, but she shoved it down and allowed a calm but reassuring demeanor to come over her face. 

“Abbie?”

The little girl’s eyes fluttered and then opened, fear and pain evident on her face. “Where’s Daddy?” Her voice was soft and her fingers cling to a small stuffed bunny. 

“Your parents will be right back, Abbie.” Sharon pulled a chair close to the bed and took a seat, crossing one leg over the other. 

“Who are you?”

“My name is Sharon.” She offered a small smile and pulled her badge out once more. “I’m a police officer.” She showed her badge to Abbie and allowed the girl to take it. 

“Ooooh...” Abbie ran her fingers over the metal, inspecting every inch before she handed it back. 

“May I ask you a few questions? I’d really like to find who did this to you.” She didn’t know how much the girl remembered or had processed, but she didn’t want to be responsible for telling the child that many of her friends were dead. 

“Umm...” Abbie hugged her bunny close and winced in pain. 

“It’s okay,” Sharon soothed, reaching out to rub her arm. “Just tell me what you remember. If you don’t, that’s okay too.”

It took a few more minutes of reassurance before Abbie started to talk, but Sharon was patient. She was amazed by how much the young girl remembered. As she left the room, she resolved to give her team at least a week off when this was over. They would need the time with their families to recover from the brutality of this case. 

She ran her fingers through her hair, her mind racing with the new info Abbie provided. She stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby. 

“Elevator’s goin’ up,” someone muttered. 

She raised her eyes to the man beside her and cleared her throat. The elevator doors were already closing. “Guess I’ll wait then,” she replied. 

The hair on the back of her neck stood up but she didn’t know why. Her gaze subtly roamed over the man but nothing stuck out to her. He wore a large leather jacket, but the weather was chilly enough to warrant it. Shaking it off, she crossed her arms and was silent as the elevator moved up to the ninth floor. She felt the man’s eyes on her and shifted to grab her phone from her purse, quickly looking up when she heard a growl from the man. 

“You’re a damn cop, aren’t you?” He reached out, grabbing her gun from its holster before she could even react. “What’re you doing here?” He moved forward, backing her into the corner of the already small elevator. 

“I-I was interviewing a victim.” She cleared her throat and stood up straighter, her eyes glancing down to her gun in his grasp. 

“A victim? Of what?” He stared her down, his eyes cold but focused. 

“School shooting.”

“Goddamnit!” He yelled and hit his fist against the elevator wall hard enough for the entire elevator to give a small shake. Sharon instinctively reached out to grab the railing. “Who is it? Who survived?”

Her mind raced, trying to connect the dots while trying to stay calm. One question jumped to the forefront of her mind: why was the school shooter at the hospital, clearly with awful intentions. 

“A student,” she reluctantly answered. 

He shook his head, but seemed to calm down a minuscule amount. “You’re coming with me.” He shoved her gun into the back of his pants and grabbed her arm as the doors opened, tugging her onto the quiet floor. 

Sharon stumbled along beside him as he strode to the nurse’s station. His attention was focused on his task, allowing her to slip her hand into her purse. Her fingers brushed her phone and she pressed down on the side buttons, relieved when she felt the emergency mode activate, knowing it would tell both emergency operators and Andy. She managed to slip her phone from her purse to her pocket. 

“Where’s Dr. Norris?” The man demanded, his grip tightening on Sharon’s arm, but out of sight of the nurse. 

“He’s currently with another patient,” the nurse calmly replied, barely glancing up. 

“Call him out here. Now.”

“I can’t do that.”

“What about now?” The man pulled another gun from his jacket and aimed it at the nurse’s head, finally getting her attention. 

“S-sir... there’s no need for that...” She swallowed, her eyes glancing to Sharon. 

“Call him. Now.” 

The nurse meekly nodded, one hand reaching for her phone. Sharon saw her other hand reach under the desk and felt the man stiffen beside her when he noticed too. 

“Don’t do it,” Sharon tried, but it was too late. 

The man fired one shot, its sound muffled by the silencer, and the nurse fell backwards. He immediately turned and hit Sharon with the butt of the gun. She felt pain blossom out from her forehead, quickly followed by the stinging cool of blood. She would’ve stumbled if the man didn’t maintain his tight grip on her. 

“You’ll shut your mouth.” He shifted his grip on her and grabbed her purse, tossing it back down the hallway. He made sure it was far out of reach before he shoved her into the nurse’s station. “Sit down and I swear to god if you move, I’ll kill you and everyone else in this ward.”

Sharon swallowed and nodded, sinking into the previously occupied chair. She gently touched her head and winced, but was relieved that her hand came away with only a small amount of blood on it. She looked back at the dead nurse but quickly turned away. Bodies didn’t usually bother her, but then again, she usually didn’t witness their murder. She could feel nausea starting to rise and tried to swallow it down. Her phone started to vibrate and without looking, she knew it was Andy. She didn’t dare try to take her phone out, and instead tried to reassure herself that her team knows her location and she could hold on until then. 

Her thoughts were interrupted when the man returned from locking down one side of the ward. “Go find the other nurses,” he ordered. “Round them up here and maybe I’ll let them live.”

Sharon nodded and slowly stood up, her head pounding. She leaned against the desk to stabilize herself, but kept her gaze on her captor. He stared back, his eyes seeming even colder than before. 

“Why are you doing this?” She risked asking. 

“I told you to shut up.” His eyes narrowed and she nodded in response, remaining silent as she moved around the desk. 

She started down the hallway, glancing into each room for signs of anyone. After the first few rooms, she realized where they were. Room after room held a small, frail child in a coma. She swallowed and forced herself to keep going, grateful the ward appeared to be mostly empty. She was almost at the other end of the ward when she found the second nurse’s station and the two nurses staffed there. 

“Oh, my god, are you okay?” The older nurse quickly approached her, but Sharon waved her off. 

“I’m fine. Please listen to me.” She took a deep breath, trying to think straight through the pain. “My name is Sharon Raydor and I’m a commander with the LAPD. There is a man here who wants to find a Dr. Norris. He’s already murdered the other nurse and I believe he may have shot up a school earlier today.” She ran out of breath and leaned against the desk. “I need you to come with me and stay quiet so he doesn’t hurt you.”

The nurses looked at each other in fear, but the older one nodded. Sharon managed a weak reassuring smile. “I’ve already notified my team and emergency operators. It shouldn’t take them long to get here. And I don’t believe any of the children here are in danger.” The nurse nodded again and the three slowly made their way back to their captor. 

He was pacing back and forth when they arrived, but stopped and glared at them. “Is that all of them?” He demanded. 

“There’s only four nurses stationed here, Mr. Walker. You know this.” The older nurse faced the man calmly and Sharon looked at her. 

“Shut up!” Mr. Walker grabbed his hair and tugged, his eyes squeezing shut. “This is all your fault! You couldn’t do shit and my daughter had to suffer! Now call Dr. Norris down.”

Sharon cleared her throat. “Mr. Walker, what happened to your daughter?” She allowed genuine concern to enter her voice, but her gaze was hard as she watched him. 

“What do you care?”

“I’m a parent too,” she answered. “I know that your children mean absolutely everything to you.” She blinked and wiped a drop of blood away from her eye. “But I’m also a cop and a witness. I can testify to what you’ve said in here and how you acted. That you were doing all of this for your daughter. A jury will be sympathetic to a loving parent.”

He let out a short, bitter laugh. “Doesn’t matter if a jury is sympathetic. It’s not going to bring my Ella back to me.” He shifted the gun and aimed it at a nurse. “Call Dr. Norris. I’m not asking again.”

Sharon and the other nurse sat on the ground against the wall, watching while the doctor was paged down to their floor. The nurse took the opportunity to clean up Sharon’s face, their hands briefly clasping together. 

“What’s your name?” Sharon murmured, giving the young woman’s hand a brief but firm squeeze. 

“Rose,” she answered, her hands trembling. 

“We’ll get out of this, Rose, okay? We’ll get you home safely.” 

Rose nodded and pulled her hands into her lap. Sharon gently ran her fingers over the small bandage on her forehead, wincing at how tender it was. The other nurse joined them after a moment, the three sitting quietly while the man paced in front of them. It was silent except for the steady beeping of heart monitors and the man’s footsteps for several long minutes. 

Finally, a few loud knocks sounded from the opposite end of the ward. Sharon knew immediately that it wouldn’t be Dr. Norris on the other side of the door. 

“Come with me.” The man grabbed Rose and hauled her to her feet before he started down the hallway. 

Sharon watched them go and then looked to the nurse’s station. “Do you have any scalpels or syringes?” She faced the other nurse, her voice soft. “Anything?”

“Um... um.” She managed a nod and pointed to a cart outside a room. “Third drawer.”

“Warn me if he’s coming back.”

Slowly, Sharon stood up and approached the cart. She quietly opened the drawer and slipped a few scalpels into her pocket before she returned to her spot on the floor. 

“Thing are likely to get ugly soon,” she warned. “If the police or Mr. Walker starts firing, you need to get out of the way and hide. Try to take Rose with you too.”

The woman swallowed and nodded silently. 

They heard Mr. Walker’s heavy footsteps and Rose’s whimpering before they saw them. Mr. Walker threw Rose to the ground and instead grabbed Sharon before she could react and move away. 

“What the hell did you do?” He demanded, his grip bruising. “How did they know where I am?” He pulled her close until their faces where inches apart. 

Sharon forced herself not to flinch. “There are security cameras everywhere. It was only a matter of time before someone checked this floor.”

“Bullshit!” Spittle landed on her face and her eyes fluttered closed for a moment. 

He reached for his gun, but Sharon was faster with the scalpel. She popped the protective cap off in her pocket and stabbed it into his gut. He groaned, but his grip on her only tightened. 

“You bitch!” He threw her to the ground, her head bouncing off the wall and floor. She cried out in pain, her arms instinctively going up to defend herself as all hell broke loose. 

Sounds blended together: gunshots, yelling, crying, and cracking of wood and metal. Sharon crawled toward the closest room, managing to catch sight of the nurses doing the same thing. She slid the glass door shut and collapsed against the ground, confused when she felt her shirt damp and clinging to her. She pressed her hand against her stomach and stared at the blood the came away. 

“Oh...” she let out a shaky breath and fumbled for her phone, tossing the extra scalpels out of her way to the floor. 

She saw the numerous missed calls and texts from Andy, and even a few from Provenza. A missed call from Emily surprised her, but her body became aware of the pain at the same moment and her phone fell to the ground. 

She curled in on herself and let out a small whimper, her entire body pounding with white hot pain. 

“Sharon!” Her head tilted up at the familiar voice and she realized the cacophony had faded. “Sharon, where are you?”

She managed to reach up to slide the door open, her hand trailing blood on everything she touched. With the door open, she could hear footsteps rushing down the hallway toward her. 

“I’ve got two nurses here!” Andy shouted, followed by a softer, “Are you both okay?”

The footsteps continued a moment later and then he was in front of her, kneeling down with his hands cupping her face. 

“Sharon. Sharon, Jesus...” He held her face firmly and kissed her forehead. “Look at me, sweetheart. Stay with me.” He leaned just head out of the room. “I need medical attention down here! Officer down!”

“Andy...” She raised a hand to rest over his, her body giving a sudden shudder. 

“Hey... Hey, you’re gonna be okay. Just keep your eyes on me, hm?” His voice shook, but his grip was firm. “This is going to hurt, babe. I’m sorry.” He pulled his jacket off and pressed it to her side, pulling a weak yelp from Sharon. “I know, I know, I’m sorry.”

Her eyes started to slide closed and despite Andy’s pleas, she couldn’t force them back open. The emptiness of being unconscious pulled at her and she slowly slipped away.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An apology for chapter one's angst.

Noise assaulted Sharon, driving into her already-pounding head and causing her to squeeze her eyes tightly shut. A soft whine escaped her parted lips, but the noise stopped almost immediately. 

“Mom?” She felt a rough hand rub her arm and then curl around hers, tightly squeezing. “Hey...” 

She reluctantly blinked her eyes open, relieved when she was greeted with dimmed lighting. She started to move her head but the pain stopped her short, and instead rolled her eyes up to see Ricky standing over her. 

“Good morning.” He smiled widely, that smile that reminded her so much of his father when he was young, but the dark bags under his eyes told another story. 

“Ricky,” she tried to say, but her throat was dry and it came out as a pathetic croak. 

“Oh, water! Right. Nurse said you’d need some when you woke up.” He leaned over her and grabbed a cup, moving it closer so she could drink through the straw. 

The cool water felt like heaven as it coated her mouth and throat, and she finished off the cup before she knew it. Her eyes slid closed as Ricky pulled the cup away, sleep already tugging at her. 

“I’ll go get more.” She forced her eyes open at the sound of Emily’s voice, her brow briefly furrowing. 

“E-Em?”

Her eldest child appeared after a moment, in much the same shape as Ricky’s. “What, you didn’t think I’d fly out here for the family party?” She tried to joke, but it fell a little flat. “I’ll be right back, Mom.”

Sharon wanted to question it and scold her children for taking time off work, but instead to gave in and drifted off to sleep. 

When she woke again, the room was brighter, but her head didn’t ache as much. She managed to turn her head to see early morning sunlight streaming through the small window. It landed on the couch where Ricky and Emily were asleep and leaning against each other. She squinted against the light and turned her head the other way to see Andy sprawled out in a too-small chair. His hand was stretched out toward her and within her reach, so she took his hand and loosely laced their fingers together. Andy didn’t stir. 

She closed her eyes and tried to take stock of what she was feeling. A dull ache remained around the front of her head, but most of her pain came from her abdomen. She slipped her hand under the blankets and then under her pajama shirt, lightly feeling along the bandages she found as her memory started to clear up. A squeeze of her hand pulled her from her thoughts and she opened her eyes to see Andy staring at her, exhaustion evident in the lines on his face and dirty, wrinkled clothing. 

“Hey, there,” he murmured, squeezing her hand again. “How are you feeling?”

“Confused,” she answered softly. “Foggy.”

He nodded in understanding. “Yeah, strong pain medication will do that to you. They’re starting to wean you off, though, so it shouldn’t last much longer.” 

“Ricky and Em?”

Andy smiled and rubbed his thumb along her hand. “They were coming out to surprise you for your birthday. When I called them, they insisted on coming out anyway.” 

“Oh...” She glanced over at her still-sleeping children, a small smile crossing her face. “When can we go home?” She returned her gaze to Andy in time to see him frown. 

“It’s only been a few days, Sharon... They need to get you off the strong IV medication and get you moving before they’ll release you.”

“Then let’s get started...” she moved to push the blankets off, but Andy quickly stopped her. 

“No, not yet.” His voice was firm, but his eyes apologetic. “You were shot and you have a concussion. You’re going to follow the doctor’s orders to the letter.”

“You’re one to talk,” she whined petulantly. 

He shrugged. “Them’s the rules, babe.”

“Don’t like them.” 

“I know, but hey, you’re cleared for regular food. I could find you some tea? Maybe even a muffin?” He smiled and squeezed her hand. 

“Tea. And maybe another blanket?”

His smile widened. “Rusty’s coming up in a couple hours and bringing the blanket from our bed.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. “I’ll be right back.”

He stood up and Sharon winced at the pops and cracks she heard from his back. “Promise me you’ll go home and sleep in a bed tonight?”

“Sharon...”

“You’re not going to be much help to me if you’re exhausted and throw your back out.”

He huffed and crossed his arms. “How can you be so logical while on so many medications?”

“Takes more than that to knock me out of it. I’ve had two kids.” She let out a short laugh that quickly turned into a whimper of pain. 

He started back to her side but she waved him off. “I’m fine,” she managed, trying to breathe through the pain. “I’m fine.”

Andy reluctantly nodded, but didn’t leave the room until her breathing evened out. She fumbled for the remote and turned the tv on for background noise, her fingers tangling in the blankets to hold them close. 

She slept on and off throughout the day, managing short conversations with her team when they came to visit and even making it through half a movie with her kids. As the sun started to set, she turned her gaze to her husband and kids.

“Go home.”

“What? Mom, we’re not gonna leave you here alone.” Ricky was immediately defiant and on his feet. 

“That’s exactly what you’ll do. Go home, get some sleep, and take a shower. I’m not going anywhere.” She gave him a small smile. 

“At least let Rusty stay the night. He’s been watching the house and we’d feel better knowing someone’s here with you.” Emily raised an eyebrow. 

“Yeah, I don’t mind staying,” Rusty added. 

“You’re not going to give in, are you?” Sharon looked at her daughter and couldn’t help but smile. “Fine, Rusty can stay.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Emily kissed her forehead and smiled widely. “We’ll bring you a change of clothes in the morning. I don’t know if you can shower yet, but some clean clothes should help at least.”

“Thank you, honey. To get some sleep. I love you.”

She said goodbye to Andy and the kids before they left and silently watched as Rusty made a bed for himself on the couch. 

“I’m okay,” she finally murmured. 

Rusty looked up and stared at her. “You are now.”

“That’s all the matters. I’m okay and I’ll be home soon. You don’t have to worry.”

“You’d do the exact same thing if Andy was in your position, Mom.”

She sighed and closed her eyes. “I would,” she admitted. 

Rusty huffed and she opened her eyes to see him smiling. “Go to sleep before the doctor and nurses start swarming in and waking you up every hour.”

“Goodnight, Rusty.” She pulled her blanket close, inhaling the comforting and familiar scent of home and Andy. 

After a night of lowering her pain medication and being confined to bed, Sharon was eager for a chance to get up the next morning. Rusty was still asleep when the physical therapist came in and someone he stayed asleep as Sharon inches out of bed and to her feet. She panted softly and tightly held on to the therapist’s arm to find her balance. 

“Let me know when you want to start walking,” he murmured, smiling gently. 

Sharon only managed a nod in response and shuffled a few steps forward, her free arm wrapped around her stomach. They reached the door just in time for it to open and Andy to step in. He smiled widely, holding out a cup of tea. 

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Sharon gestured to her therapist. “Charlie is getting me on my feet. Join us?”

Andy set his coffee and her tea down, and Charlie stepped aside so Andy could help her instead. She gratefully leaned into him and focused on each step to follow the therapist down the hallway. 

“You’ll be back to running in no time,” Andy encouraged, his hand lightly rubbing her back. 

“Baby steps,” she panted in reply, feeling her legs starting to shake from the exertion. 

“Hey, you got a lap done. That’s great progress,” Charlie interjected. “Why don’t we head back and you’re free to walk whenever you feel up to it.”

“How far... to go home?”

“We’ll say... two laps and you’re cleared.”

“But don’t push yourself, Sharon. It won’t help.” Andy gave her a look and she was too tired to argue it. 

She was silent as they helped her back to her room. She decided to try sitting, so Charlie tilted her bed up as Andy helped her into it. He handed her a cup of water which she quickly finished off and then leaned her head back with her eyes closed. 

“It’ll get easier,” Charlie told her, and then the door slid shut. 

She heard Andy settle into the chair beside her and felt him take her hand, but she kept her eyes closed and focused on her breathing until it evened out and didn’t pull at her chest. 

“Tell me what happened,” she finally said, looking at Andy.

“Don’t you think...”

“Tell me,” she interrupted. 

Andy sighed and leaned forward. “We had someone knock on the door to get the asshole’s attention. When he saw it wasn’t the doctor, he slammed the door, so SWAT was ready to go in. They, uh... they were a little too late. A nurse had already been shot and there was blood from where you were...” He stopped and cleared his throat. 

“He shot the nurse earlier. She tried to hit the alarm. What about the other two nurses?”

“They’re fine. No physical injuries.” Sharon let out a sigh of relief and rubbed her hands over her face. “The other victim, Abbie?”

“She’s going home tomorrow, I think. Still haven’t found the asshole who shot her.” Andy grumbled and squeezed her hand. 

“No...” Sharon shook her head and took a deep breath. “It’s the same guy.”

“What?”

“His daughter. Ella...? She was sick. The nurses knew the shooter. She didn’t make it and he wanted revenge on her doctor. I bet if you check the school’s records, Ella Walker was a student there.”

“Damn...” Andy sighed and shook his head. “He didn’t make it. Tried to go out shooting.”

“I knew he would. Seemed like he only had his daughter left.” 

“Saves us from a trial, at least. Saves you.” Andy shrugged and kissed her hand. “You don’t have to worry about it.”

“I’m assuming I still need to give a statement to FID and speak with the LAPD therapist before I can go back?”

Andy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Go back? Sharon, it’s going to be a few weeks before you can go back to work.”

“I sit at a desk for most of the day. It won’t hurt me to go back to work.”

He immediately shook his head and pulled his hand back. “We’re not going to debate this right now. Let’s at least get you home first.”  
He paused and sighed. “But yes, someone from FID will probably be here today and you’ll have to deal with the therapist later.”

“Could be worse.” Sharon sighed and stretched her fingers out toward him again, even offering a small pout. 

He gave in and took her hand, giving it a firm squeeze. “Using the emergency thing on your phone saved your life... The nurses too.”

“You did.”

He laughed softly. “How about we agree that you not get into a situation like that again?”

“I can agree with that.”

“Good. That wasn’t actually up for debate.” He leaned forward and kissed her softly. “I love you.”

“Love you too.”

The next afternoon, Sharon’s doctor cleared her to go home. She willingly allowed Andy and Rusty to bundle her into a wheelchair and then into the car. She hugged a pillow close against the pain and rested her head against the window, her eyes focused on Rusty driving and Andy constantly glancing over his shoulder at her. The drive would’ve been quiet without Andy’s constant checking in, and Sharon was too relieved when Rusty finally pulled into their driveway. 

“Think you can handle the couch for a bit?” Andy asked as he helped her out. 

“I’ve been in bed too long... Couch would be wonderful. And some water.” 

“Can do.” He kissed the side of her head and led her inside.

Emily and Ricky where nowhere to be found, but Sharon didn’t get a chance to question it with Rusty and Andy fussing over getting her settled. When she was finally tucked into blankets and pillows and as comfortable as possible, Rusty shared a glance with Andy and then disappeared out of her sight. 

“What’s going on?” She stared at her husband as he settled next to her. 

“I don’t know.” He shrugged, but Sharon could tell he was lying. 

She narrowed her eyes, but didn’t get a chance to question him further. Emily and the boys came out of the kitchen carrying a small, lopsided cake with far too many candles on top of it. Sharon cringed and then they started singing, Andy joining in. 

“Happy birthday, Mom!” They chorused, and Sharon wished she could’ve hid beneath the blankets. 

“Why are there so many candles?” She complained. 

Emily laughed and held the cake closer. “It was Andy’s idea to be accurate. Blow them out!”

“What? Hey! This was all your idea, Em!” Andy defended, holding his hands up. “All her idea.”

Sharon couldn’t help the small smile that crossed her lips. “Help me blow them out and I might forgive you.”

Andy grinned and leaned forward, blowing out the majority of candles that she missed. He swiped a fingertip of frosting and wiped it on her nose before he kissed her cheek. 

“Happy birthday, babe. I’m glad you’re home.”

“I’m glad I’m home too.” She carefully settled into his side while the kids chattered eagerly. “Are you going to cut that cake up or is it display only?”

“Do you want a piece?” Emily gasped and straightened up. “We’ll go cut it now!”

“I think we’ll split a piece,” Andy said after glancing at Sharon. She nodded her agreement, her head coming to rest against his shoulder. 

The kids hurried back to the kitchen and Andy turned the Dodgers game on, his fingers gently coming through Sharon’s hair. 

“Want to try a full shower later?”

“Only if you join me,” she hummed in response. 

“Only if you keep your hands to yourself.”

“No fun,” she pouted, but her body was quickly relaxing against him and he knew it wouldn’t be long before she fell asleep. 

He surprised him when she was still awake when the kids returned with sliced cake. He held the plate, allowing her to eat what she wanted while he watched.

“Are you going to keep watching or are you going to have some too?” she asked softly. 

“Given that you’re laying on my right arm and my left is holding the plate, I think I’ll watch you for now.” He smiled and kissed her temple. 

“Mhmm. Take a picture, it’ll last longer. And I’ll look better.” He frowned briefly, but she noticed. “What?”

“Can’t hold a picture like this. Might get strange looks if I try to cuddle or kiss it,” he tried to joke, but the small tremor in his voice gave him away. 

“Hey…” She carefully shifted to look at him and reached out to cup his cheek, trying to ignore how the movement tugged at her stomach. “I’m right here and I’m not going anywhere.”

“Feels a little different when I’m holding your lifeless body.” His voice went soft and she saw tears pooling in his eyes. 

“Oh, honey…” She gently wiped away a tear that fell and pulled his head closer to kiss him softly. “I’m so sorry…”

“Goddamnit, Andy. We’re supposed to make Mom cry today, not you,” Ricky groaned. 

Sharon looked up in surprise, not even knowing the kids had returned. “Language, Ricky,” she scolded, but it was mostly empty. “Now, what’s this about making me cry?”

Emily took the plate from Andy, allowing Sharon to wrap both of her hands around his and give it a firm squeeze. “We know how sappy you get, especially with your birthday.”

“And how much you dreaded this birthday.”

Sharon arched an eyebrow. “Which birthday?”

“Your 30th,” Emily smartly said before Ricky could answer, even giving her brother an elbow to the stomach for good measure. 

“30th? I thought this was lucky number 60.” Andy looked down at her, a confused look on his face. 

Emily groaned loudly. “Andy, you’re such a dumbass!”

“Language, Emily.” Sharon shook her head, but quickly turned her attention to her husband. “But you’re sleeping on the couch tonight.”

Andy’s confusion immediately turned to an apologetic pout. “I’m sorry, babe. Em’s right, I am a dumbass.” 

Sharon rolled her eyes. “You are such a bad influence and you should take your foot out of your mouth before it gets—“ A yawn stopped her short, drawing tears to her eyes. 

“Why don’t you go lay down, Mom? Get some rest and we can watch a sappy Hallmark movie later.”

“I can nap here too, you know.”

“You could,” Emily started, “but you’ll stress your body out less if you actually lay down. 

“Hmm. That’s your daughter, alright,” Andy laughed softly. 

“And I know better than to argue with her.” Sharon pushed the blankets away, but Andy got up before her. 

He gently grasped her hands and Rusty supported her from the side, together slowly raising her to her feet. She groaned softly and leaned into Andy's chest, allowing him to take her weight while she tried to regain her breath. 

“I’m old,” she complained. 

“You’re injured. There’s a difference,” Andy murmured into her hair. 

“Still old. Not going to heal as quickly, more complications.”

“Since when does the infamous Commander Sharon Raydor only look at the downside of things? I thought I was supposed to be the pessimistic one.”

“Mom…” Emily stepped closer and rested her hand on Sharon’s back. “You’re not allowed to yell at me. But you have been through so much shit, and that’s just the stuff we know about. I know there’s stuff about Dad and your job that you haven’t told anyone. You made it through all of that and raising two kids by yourself. Now you have Andy and a whole team that will do anything for you. So what if you’re not twenty years old anymore? If you were, you wouldn’t have Andy and Rusty.”

Sharon lifted her head from Andy’s chest to look at her daughter, pride and overwhelming emotions adding to the ache in her body. “I love you, Em,” she whispered, her voice breaking. 

“I love you too, Mom. More than every star in the night sky.”

“Hey, I love her more than every grain of sand on the beaches,” Ricky added. 

“And I love you the most because I’m your mother and I say so.” Sharon smiled and held her arm out to her kids. 

The three kids moved closer, gently crowding against their mother and step-father. Andy kept his arm protectively against Sharon’s stomach to prevent anyone from accidentally hitting her, and used his other to hug his family close. 

“Can I go nap now?” Sharon finally asked, sniffling and pulling her arm back to wipe at her eyes. 

“Mom willingly wanting to take a nap? The world’s ending!” Ricky cried dramatically. 

Sharon gently smacked his arm but smiled. “Stay out of trouble.”

Ricky feigned offense. “What kind of trouble—“ He stopped short at the look on Sharon’s face. “We’ll stay out of trouble.”

Emily shoved her brother out of the way and smiled. “Go sleep. We’ll figure out dinner a movie and I’ll keep the boys under control. Including Andy.”

Sharon laughed softly and held her arms close to her stomach, offering her kids one last smile before she allowed Andy to lead her up to their room.

**Author's Note:**

> Me, writing Major Crimes fanfic again? It's more likely than you think. (I've been watching too much Criminal Minds and I'm sorry for the angst.)


End file.
